Sociology Commons^™

Euthanasia: An Exploration Of Public Opinion, Debra M. Babylon

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

The acceptance of euthanasia is examined using the 1972-2002 GSS cumulative dataset. The dataset contains a total of 43,698 respondents. The euthanasia question, "Should a terminally ill patient be allowed the right to die?" was asked beginning in 1977. The number of respondents answering the euthanasia question totals 22,039. The independent variables age, race, gender, political view, religious affiliation, and education were reviewed to assess their impact on support of euthanasia. Additionally, in order to test the "slippery slope" hypothesis, the abortion question, "Should abortion be allowed under any circumstance?" was added to the independent variable list. Cross tabulation was …

The Effect Of Humor On Elderly Well-Being, Mary M. Boone

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

The main objectives of this study were to identify the connections between the sense of humor and well-being in the elderly population, examine the benefits of humor as a coping mechanism, explore the role of humor as a preventative and therapeutic measure, and to attempt to gain a greater understanding of these connections. Humor has been the focus of study within many different domains, including psychology and medical research (immunology, pain management, cardiology, and psychoneuroimmunology), but there is a distinct lack of theory and research within the sociological realm on this topic (except in social psychology), especially involving the aging …

The Smugglers' Landscape: Geography, Route Selection And The Global Heroin Trade, James Dallis Medler

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

This study focuses on transnational smuggling, and puts forth an analytical framework from the smugglers' perspective with respect to route selection, focusing primarily on aspects of economic, political, and human geography. It is predicated on three interconnected decision-making domains that constitute the smuggler's operational landscape, namely access, risk and connectivity, which interact to drive the smugglers' perceptions of route attractiveness. The first two domains operate reciprocally, primarily at the national level of analysis, and together both shape and are shaped by the third at the transnational level to form a feedback loop. With respect to connectivity, the convention of the …

Racial Discourse In Planet Of The Apes, Mandy Sheidah Allen

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to explore the racial discourse in the six Planet of the Apes films. The films range from 1968 to 2001 and portray the radical advances and the slow progression of race relations during this time frame. The racial discourse will be examined using themes of race and devolution, looking at the race class hierarchies of the ape society (a subversive metaphor for human society) and race as it is associated with power and political movements. The earlier films will be contrasted with Burton's 2001 version to explore how the concept race has shifted its …

The Effects Of Firearm Use On Police Officers, Quinn M. Beers

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

The use of firearms by police officers is a subject that has not received much attention in past research. It is a rare occurrence for police officers to have fire their weapon in the line duty, which has also made this area of law enforcement difficult to study. In addition, little data is kept on the extent of firearm use by police officers. Several theories have been proposed to explain firearm use by police officers as well as how officers decide to use their weapon or not.

Ninety-two police officers from the city of Newport News, Virginia completed a survey …

Business Crime: The Perception And Experience Of Victimization And Corresponding Use Of Crime Prevention Measures, John A. Casten

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

This study uses the concepts of routine activities theory and social disorganization theory to examine some of the factors that influence a business owner's use of crime prevention measures. I predicted that neighborhood conditions as well as personal experience with crime would influence a business owner's decision to use crime prevention measures. In addition, I controlled for sex, race, age, education level, and police presence.

The results of the study were fairly consistent with the hypothesis except for two of the variables. In this particular study, age was not a significant factor in predicting the use of crime prevention measures, …

Gap Analysis Of The Current Financial Services Network In Calhoun County, George A. Erickcek, Bridget Timmeney, Brad R. Watts

Reports

No abstract provided.

Expanding Homeownership Opportunity: The Softsecond Loan Program, 1991-2003, Jim Campen

Gastón Institute Publications

The SoftSecond Loan Program emerged at the end of a tumultuous year of struggle over community reinvestment issues that began on January 11, 1989. The lead story in that day’s Boston Globe reported that a draft study by researchers at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston had found that there was a pattern of “racial bias” in Boston’s mortgage lending, that the number of mortgage loans in the predominantly black neighborhoods of Roxbury and Mattapan would have been more than twice as great “if race was not a factor,” and that “this racial bias is both statistically and economically significant.” …

A Cross-National Analysis Of The Impact Of Conscription On Crime Rates, Nicolette G. Rose

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Research has repeatedly shown that males in the age range of 16 to 24 years account for a disproportionately large volume of crime (Sampson and Laub 1993 ). The armed forces are major employers of young males in this crime-prone age range and could thus play an important role in crime prevention. The military provides many varied opportunities including a highly structured and regimented institution in which rigid behavioral norms and close monitoring are imposed. Some other incentives that service provides include educational opportunities through the" Advanced Individual Training", the GI Bill, in-service tuition assistance, and world-wide travel. All these …

Gender And Hiv Risk Behavior In China, Yelan Guo

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Gender differences in prevalence of HIV risk behaviors are well established. Gender differences in major causes leading to HN risk behaviors are much less researched in China. Using data from a large and population-based survey conducted in 2003, in southwestern China, this paper examined gender-specific correlates of HIV risky drug using and sexual behaviors in the general population. Both bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted for males and females separately. The results suggest that men are more likely to inject drugs and share needles than women while women are more likely to exhibit RN risk sexual behaviors than men. Socio-economic …

Socioeconomic Perspectives On Infant Mortality In Alabama, James O. Bukenya

Journal of Rural Social Sciences

Socioeconomic and demographic variables are examined in a maximum likelihood spatial lag framework to determine conditions influencing infant survival in Alabama using county-level data. The analysis is motivated by the basic premise that economic development and unidimensional health interventions such as immunization programs are not enough to ensure constant mortality decline in low-income regions. The results suggest that differences in socioeconomic factors can explain a large portion of the variation in child mortality rates among counties and across races in Alabama. The results also concur with prior conclusions that maternal and infant health remains an important reflection of the social …

Oil And Natural Gas And Rural Local Government Finances In The Gulf Of Mexico Region, F. Carson Mencken, Nicole Flynn

Journal of Rural Social Sciences

National energy policy is focused on increasing production and exploration of existing energy sources (particularly oil and natural gas). What impact this might have on local institutions, particularly local governments who are often responsible for providing the infrastructure necessary to sustain production and exploration, is a relatively unexplored but important question. Sociological theory predicts that the effect will be most felt in nonmetropolitan communities that specialize in oil and gas production. We pursue this issue by examining the impact of the oil and gas industry boom and bust period of the 1970s and 1980s on local government finances in oil …

An Economic Analysis Of Forest Products And Nature Based Tourism Sectors In North Carolina, Aruna Murthy, Frederick W. Cubbage

Journal of Rural Social Sciences

As part of a study on the impacts of wood chip mills in North Carolina, we analyzed the economic contributions of the forest products sector and tourism sector in the state, using a variety of regional economic and demographic data bases and the IMPLAN input-output model. As of 1996, forest products firms in the state employed about 105,000 people and the nature-based tourism sector about 91,000 people. Total employee compensation in the forest products industry was $3.2 billion; for tourism it was $1.4 billion. Industrial output was $13.5 billion for the forest products industry in 1996, and $3.9 billion for …

Underemployment And Workforce Development In The Mississippi Delta: Community-Based Action Research For Program Planning To Increase Livelihood Security, John J. Green, Antoinette Jones, Christopher Pope

Journal of Rural Social Sciences

Underemployment and poverty are important social problems, and they have received attention from researchers and policymakers with interest directed toward workforce development programs. Building from the knowledge obtained through regional and national quantitative studies, this project assessed what employers and underemployed adults living in Mississippi Delta communities had to say about these problems and how to address them for the purpose of informing a community-based organization. Following a review of Census data, qualitative telephone interviews and focus groups were utilized in this community-based action research effort aimed at informing workforce development program planning to increase livelihood security. Results from asset …

Enhancing The Rural South's Quality Of Life: Leveraging Development Through Educational Institutions, Glenn D. Israel

Journal of Rural Social Sciences

2004 SRSA Presidential address presented February 16, 2004, at the annual meeting of the Southern Rural Sociological Association, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Exploring The Association Between Length Of Residence And Community Attachment: A Research Note, Gene L. Theodori

Journal of Rural Social Sciences

Empirical examinations of the systemic model of community attachment have emphasized the relative importance of certain sociodemographic factors. Among them, length of residence generally has been viewed as the key variable influencing attachment to one's community. Despite the vast number of articles documenting the main effects of length of residence on community attachment, no published papers investigating the interactions between length of residence and additional important systemic-model and/or community-level predictors were uncovered in the literature. Using data collected in a general population survey from a random sample of individuals in two rural communities in Texas, I explore the main effects …

Reading Filipina Migrant Workers In Hong Kong : Tracing A Feminist And Cultural Politics Of Transformation, Aida Jean Manipon

Lingnan Theses (MPhil & PhD)

For Filipino migrant workers , the journey overseas in search of contractual employment marks a profound turning point in their lives. It registers the crossing of spatial and cultural borders that leads to the shifting of terrains from which they make sense of their selves and the world of ‘others.’ It signifies a rupture in time that alters their sense of history, giving shape to new vantage points from which they reflect on the past and project an imagination of future. This research explores the question of how Filipina domestic workers in Hong Kong make sense of their experiences as …

The Effects Of Premarital Sexual Promiscuity On Subsequent Marital Sexual Satisfaction, Sherie Christensen

Theses and Dissertations

A satisfying sexual relationship is an important aspect of general marital satisfaction. Considering that most people will marry, understanding the factors influencing marital sexual satisfaction becomes important in understanding what makes happy, satisfied relationships and individuals in our society. This study builds on previous research, which has indicated that there are a number of "risky factors" associated with having numerous premarital sexual partners, by demonstrating that there are risks associated with the future marital relationship. Using exchange theory concepts, this study empirically examines the relationship between premarital sexual promiscuity and marital sexual satisfaction. The sample included 313 married males and …

Couples Sharing Recovery From A Husband's Addiction To Pornography: A Qualitative Study, Spencer T. Zitzman

Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluated the therapy process for married couples recovering from addictive use of pornography. The author's proposal was that in conjoint couple therapy, clinicians are able to help organize the relationship to sponsor recovery while helping both members of the relationship heal individually. The prevalence and effects of pornography are discussed through a review of the current literature. Six couples were interviewed following the termination of their treatment in marital therapy to gain a holistic view of the process of recovery and gain groundwork for future development of a concise model of treatment. Results demonstrated that an increase in …

Making Workshops Work, Gary Lawson

Journal of Legal Education

No abstract provided.

Hfhsa San Antonio: Taking Stock To Move Ahead, John Donahue, Christine Drennon

Sociology & Anthropology Faculty Research

Habitat for Humanity San Antonio (HFHSA) has a long history and well-recognized role in San Antonio. This evaluation research report offers data and recommendations that might assist HFHSA to look back on its 27 year history, reflect on its accomplishments, note changes in its institutional efforts and glean insights that might assist in improving current operations and planning for the future.

Addressing The Mental Health Needs Of The Rural Underserved: Findings From A Multiple Case Study Of A Behavioral Telehealth Project, Richard Bischoff, Cody S. Hollist, Craig W. Smith, Paul Flack

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Behavioral telehealth is a reasonable solution to the accessibility to mental health care problem that exists in many rural communities. This paper reports the results of a multiple case study of a behavioral telehealth program administered through a marriage and family therapy training program. The results suggest that mental health services can be effectively delivered using existing distance education technology to underserved rural populations. Rural communities have unique barriers to accessing mental health care, some of which can be overcome through the distance delivery of services and some of which cannot. In order to effectively deliver treatment, accommodations to the …

Comparing Twenty-Four Years Of Forest Change In Two Communities Of Mexico's Meseta PuréPecha Using Multi-Spectral Satellite Imagery, Kevin Scott Martin

Dissertations and Theses

The Meseta Purépecha, a volcanic plateau in the Mexican state of Michoacan, is home to one of the most species-rich pine forests in the world. Recent increases in demand for forest products has put added pressure on these resources. Though existing research has suggested significant deforestation in the Meseta, there is little information identifying specific areas of decline. This study focuses on two indigenous communities in the Meseta--Pichátaro and Sevina. Both communities have long relied on wood as an economic resource. However, the two communities have reacted differently to increased demand for forest resources. The purpose of this study is …

Program: University Of South Florida, St. Petersburg Presents The Civil Rights Movement In Florida Conference June 3-6, 2004

Textual material from the Rodney Lawrence Hurst, Sr. Papers

A gathering of Movement veterans, scholars, students and the community.

Agenda: Preliminary Agenda For University Of South Florida's "The Civil Rights Movement In Florida" Conference June 2-6, 2004

Textual material from the Rodney Lawrence Hurst, Sr. Papers

Preliminary agenda for University of South Florida's "The Civil Rights Movement in Florida" Conference. June 2-6, 2004.

Prostitution Of Juveniles: Patterns From Nibrs., David Finkelhor, Richard Ormrod

Crimes Against Children Research Center

Examines the prostitution of juveniles by analyzing incidents of this problem that come to the attention of law enforcement. Part of the Crimes Against Children Bulletin Series, this Bulletin draws on data from the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) to provide a profile of juvenile prostitution, noting characteristics that distinguish it from its adult counterpart. Although information about the prostitution of juveniles is scarce, the data from NIBRS can be used to help juvenile justice officials and others better identify and respond to the sexual exploitation of youth.

Mango Beti Et Les Mythologies Postcoloniales : Héritier Et Inspirateur, Nathalie Etoke

Présence Francophone: Revue internationale de langue et de littérature

Mango Beti belongs to a nationalist tradition embodied by Ruben Um Nyobe, the Cameroonian revolutionary. This paper analyzes how the writer manages to rebuild the aborted Rubenist ideal through fictional devices. Charismatic leaders such as Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela, who have been able to bring about social change and improve the living conditions of their people, also nurture Beti's political commitment. What is the link between the writer and these inspiring men? Is Mongo Beti himself a similar inspiration for other African writers?

L'Image Des Réfugiés Et Des Personnes Déplacées Dans La Fiction Africaine Francophone, Augustin H. Asaah

Présence Francophone: Revue internationale de langue et de littérature

In their capacity as moralists and committed intellectuals, African Francophone writers such as C.C. Sow, N.N. Ndjekery, M.S. Keita, F. Couao-Zotti, Ahmadou Kourouma, Nimrod and E. Dongala portray various images of refugees and internally displaced persons in their works. This depiction is driven by the perceived need to humanize these displaced members of society by establishing moral/affective bridges between unfortunate members of society and readers. It is also sustained by the desire to reduce the damage caused by wars and natural disasters, as well as the need to reveal the plural identities of humans to the world.

Access And Affordability: Rural Nebraskans’ View Of Health Care, John C. Allen, Rebecca J. Vogt, Randolph L. Cantrell

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

The availability, cost and quality of health care services are important issues to rural Nebraskans. How available are these services and how satisfied are they with them? Do they have health insurance? Have they experienced any medical hardships during the past year?

This report details 2,915 responses to the 2004 Nebraska Rural Poll, the ninth annual effort to understand rural Nebraskans’ perceptions. Respondents were asked a series of questions about health care services. For all questions, comparisons are made among different respondent subgroups, i.e., comparisons by age, occupation, region, etc. Based on these analyses, some key findings emerged:

• The …

Early Head Start: Identifying And Serving Children With Disabilities, Carla Peterson, Shavaun Wall, Helen Raikes, Ellen E. Kisker, Mark E. Swanson, Judith Jerald, Jane B. Atwater, Wei Qiao

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Early Head Start (EHS) is a comprehensive, two-generation program that provides services to low-income families with children under the age of 3 years. As part of their mandate, staff members of EHS programs collaborate with other service providers in their local communities, including Part C and childcare providers. The incidence of disabilities among low-income children was tracked as part of the EHS Research and Evaluation Project. The incidence of indicators of disabilities (or potential disabilities) was extremely high (87%) among these very young children living in poverty; however, only 99 participating families (4.7% of the sample) received Part C services. …